Marking devices



Sept. 1, 1959 l. s. GoTTscHo :TAL

MARKING DEVICES Original Filed lay 21, 1953 w' l i L1 /Al 9. Gvrrscno, fyntcu.

Y d( Q Armfr. 7

United States Patent O MARKING DEVICES h S. Gottscho, Milburn, NJ., Malcolm Hirschey, Woodside, N. and Andrew J. Alessi, Jr., Colonia, NJ., asslgnors to Adolph Gottacho, Inc., Hillside, NJ., l corporation of New York Original application May 21, 1953, Serial No. 356,374,

now Patent No. 2,834,285, dated May 13, 1958. Divided and this application January 21, 1958, Serial No. 713,519

6 Claims. (CI. 101-35) The present invention relates generally to marking devices for marking the surface of each of a succession of rectangular cartons, containers or articles and the like as they are conveyed along a straight path, and is particularly directed to repositioning means for rotationally returning the marking wheel of such devices to its initial position after each marking operation.

This application is a division of our application Serial No. 356,374 filed May 21, 1953, now Patent No. 2,834,285 issued May 13, 1958.

In marking devices of the described character, it is necessary, after the marking wheel has applied a marking to the surface of one of a succession of spaced ap-art articles carried on a conveyor past the marking device, that the marking wheel be rotationally returned to its initial position in readiness for marking the next article in line.

The returning of the marking wheel to its initial position must be effected between the time the marking wheel is disengaged by one article and before it is engaged by the article next in line on the conveyor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a marking device of the described character having a rotatable marking wheel and improved mechanism associated with the latter for positively repositioning the marking wheel after completion of the marking of an article so that the marking wheel is then properly disposed for the commencing of the marking of the article next in line on the conveyor.

The foregoing, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are achieved by providing a swingable support arm pivotally mounted at one end on a vertical pivot which is supported at one side of a conveyor path and is adjustable vertically and transversely relative to the conveyor path. The support arm is yieldably urged to swing in the direction toward the conveyor path and at its free end carries a rotatable marking unit frame. rotatably mounted thereon so that a portion of the periphery of the marking wheel extends into the path of the conveyed articles. As the marking wheel is rotated, either by frictional contact thereof with the carton to be marked or by a positive drive from the conveyor carrying the carton, the marking wheel comes into rolling and marking contact with the adjacent surface of the carton to apply a marking thereto. The return mechanism of the present invention is associated with the marking wheel and acts to rotationally reposition the latter, after disengagement from a marked carton, for marking contact with the carton next in line on the associated conveyor. The marking wheel carries suitable marking elements on the periphery thereof and inking mechanism is provided for supplying ink to the marking elements. The inking mechanism includes an ink supplying arrangement which responds to the rotation of the marking wheel and acts to interrupt the supplying of ink when the marking wheel is rotationally at rest.

The marking unit frame has a marking wheel v Patented Sept. 1, 1959 In order that the present invention may be clearly understood, an illustrative embodiment thereof is hereinafter described in detail and shown in the accompanying drawing forming part hereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a marking device embodying the repositioning mechanism of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Referring to the drawings in detail, a marking device embodying the present invention is there illustrated and generally identified by the reference numeral 10. The marking device is shown in association with a package conveying apparatus, which is fully illustrated and described in our aforesaid Patent No. 2,834,285, hence only so much of said apparatus will hereinafter be described as is necessary for a clear understanding of the operation. of the marking device of the present invention. The marking device 10 is constructed and arranged to mark a surface of each of the successive rectangular articles A as the latter are moved in spaced apart relationship along a rectilinear path past the marking device in the direction indicated by the arrows 12. Such movement of the articles A can be produced by any suitable conveyor (not shown), and, in the vicinity of the marking device, a guide rail (not shown) 14 is provided along-side the conveyor path to slidably engage the surface of each article at the side remote from the surface or the article to be marked as the article moves past the device 10 and thereby to prevent lateral movement of the article in the direction away from the marking device.

The marking device 10 includes a vertical support post 16 which is mounted at either of its ends in a suitable base 18 secured adjacent the path of travel of the articles at the side remote from the guide rail. The base 18 is shown in solid lines at the lower end of the post 16, and in broken lines at the top end of the post, as indicated at 18. Thus, the post 16 can be supported on structure (not shown) below the conveyor path or from overhead framework (not shown).

An arm 20 is formed with a semi-cylindrical sleeve portion 22 at one end which cooperates with a separate semi-cylindrical sleeve 24 bolted thereto to define a split clamp embracing the post 16 and securing the arm 20 in any desired angularly and vertically adjusted position on the vertical support post. The arm 20, at its end remote from the sleeve portion 22, is formed with a vertically bored boss 26, which receives the upper reduced diameter portion of a vertical pivot pin or bolt 28. The upper end of the bolt 28 is threaded and receives a nut 30 for securing the pivot bolt to the arm 20.

A swingable support arm 32 extends from the pivot bolt 28 generally in the direction of movement of the articles A and is formed with bifurcated or forked portions 34 at one end having aligned openings therein which receive bushings 36 embracing the lower portion of the pivot bolt 28, and a snap ring 38 is engaged in a suitable annular groove (not shown) at the bottom of the pivot bolt to prevent removal of the support arm 32 from the latter.

The end of the swingable support arm 32 remote from pivot bolt 28 is formed with a boss 42 which has a bolt y44 tapped therein and extending upwardly to provide an axle or shaft for rotatably carrying a marking unit which is generally identified by the reference numeral 46.

The marking unit 46 includes a frame 48, having a bored boss S0 at one end rotatably mounted on the axle 44, and a suitable anti-friction washer 52 is preferably interposed between the bosses 42 and 50 to permit free rotation of the frame 48 about the axle 44. The marking unit 46 is intended to rotate as a whole about the axle 44 in the counter-clockwise direction as viewed in and indicated by the arrow 54 on Fig. 2. A marking Wheel 56 is rotatably mounted on top of the frame 48 for rotation about a vertical axis which is spaced from the axis of the bolt or axle 44 and is arranged to carry marking elements, such as, type, on the periphery thereof.

Movement of the article A to be marked, in the direction of the arrows 12, brings the side surface of the article into marking and rolling contact with the marking wheel 56, whereby to apply markings to that surface of the article.

When the trailing end of the marked article reaches a point where the surface of the article is disengaged by the marking wheel, the marking wheel is then rotationally returned to position for the start of the next marking cycle.

In order to ensure that the marking wheel will be properly positioned, in the rotational sense, for initial contact with the side surface of the article next in line at a location on the periphery of the marking wheel corresponding to the beginning of the mark or legend to be applied, a return mechanism of the present invention is associated with the marking wheel to rotationally return the latter to a desired position after its release from the trailing end surface of the marked article.

In accordance with the present invention, an improved return mechanism is associated with the marking wheel, and this return mechanism is shown in detail in Fig. 2. As seen in the drawings, the marking wheel 56 is preferably fixed on a supporting shaft 126 which is rotatably mounted in the marking unit frame 48 and extends below the latter. On its lower end, the shaft 126 has a lever or finger 128 secured thereto, by a pin 130, or the like, so that the finger 128 will rotate with the shaft 126 and the wheel 56. A tension spring 132 has one end pivotally connected to an end of the finger 128, and the opposite end of the spring is adjustably connected to a lug 134, forming a part of the marking unit frame, by a suitable anchoring screw extending through that lug. The opposite end of the finger 128 is formed as a curved nose 136 operative to cam over the inclined edge 138 of a pivoted rigid latch member 140. The latch member 140 is angularly urged, by a torsion spring 142, into the position of Fig. 2 in which it engages a stop pin 144 depending from the marking unit frame and is interposed in the circular path of travel of the nose 136.

Thus, if at the time the surface of a marked article moves out of engagement with the marking wheel 56 the latter is in any position other than that shown in Fig. 2, in which positiona straight line extends through the axis of rotation of the finger 128 and the connections at the opposite ends of the spring 132 to the finger 128 and the lug 134, the spring 132 will then operate to rotate the finger and marking wheel into the above described position. During such return rotation and the normal rotation of the marking wheel, the nose 136 of the finger 128 will merely cam or glide over the edge 138 of the resiliently pivoted latch member. However, the latch member 140 is formed and disposed so that, when the finger is in its proper position (Fig. 2), the nose 136 engages against a substantially radial edge 146 of the latch member to prevent reverse rotation of the finger 128 and marking wheel beyond that proper position and thereby to avoid hunting of the marking wheel during its return rotation.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the drawing and described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a marking device having a rotatable marking wheel for rolling and marking contact with surfaces of successive, spaced apart articles moving past the device; repositioning means for rotationally returning the marking wheel to a predetermined position during the interval between the breaking-off of contact with a marked article and the effecting of initial contact with the article next in line, said repositioning means comprising a finger member mounted for rotation with the marking wheel, a tension spring anchored at one end and connected, at its other end, to one end of said finger member to yieldably urge the latter to a position longitudinally aligned with said spring and corresponding to said predetermined position of the marking wheel, a rigid latch member pivotally mounted and spring urged into the orbital path of travel of the other end of said finger member, said latch member having an inclined edge surface over which said other end of the finger member glides during normal rotation of the marking wheel in the direction for rolling and marking contact with an article, said latch member further having a radial shoulder at the end of said inclined edge surface facing in the direction of said normal rotation to abut against said other end of the finger member and stop rotation of the latter in the opposite direction at said yieldably urged position thereby preventing hunting of the marking wheel during its return to said predetermined position.

2. In a marking device having a rotatable marking wheel for rolling and marking contact with surfaces of successive, spaced apart articles moving past the device; repositioning means for rotationally returning the marking wheel to a predetermined position during the interval between the breaking off of contact with a marked article and the effecting of initial contact with the article next in line, said repositioning means comprising a finger member mounted for rotation with the marking wheel, a tension spring anchored at one end and connected, at its other end, to one end of said finger member to yieldably urge the latter to a position longitudinally aligned with said spring and corresponding to said predetermined position of the marking wheel, a rigid latch member pivotally mounted and spring urged into the orbital path of travel of the other end of said finger member, said latch member having an inclined edge surface over which said other end of the finger member glides during normal rotation of the marking wheel in the direction for rolling and marking contact with an article, said latch member further having a radial shoulder at the end of said inclined edge surface facing in the direction of said normal rotation to abut against said other end of the finger member and stop rotation of the latter in the opposite direction at said yieldably urged position thereby preventing hunting of the marking wheel during its return to said predetermined position, and stop means limiting the pivotal movement of said latch means in its yieldably urged direction.

3. In a marking device having a rotatable marking wheel for rolling and marking contact with surfaces of successive, spaced apart articles moving past the device; repositioning means for rotationally returning the marking wheel to a predetermined position during the interval between the breaking off of contact with a marked article and the effecting of initial contact with the article next in line, said repositioning means comprising a finger member mounted for rotation with the marking wheel, a tension spring anchored at one end to a projection fixed relatively to said marking wheel and operatively connected to said finger member and extending in a plane outside the plane of rotation of the finger member to permit complete rotation of the latter and to yieldably urge the finger member to a position longitudinally aligned with said spring and corresponding to said predetermined position of the marking wheel, a rigid latch member pivotally mounted and spring urged into the orbital path of travel of the other end of said'finger member, said latch member having an inclined edge surface over which said other end of the finger member glides during normal rotation of the marking wheel in the direction for rolling and marking contact with an article, said latch member further having a radial shoulder at the end of said inclined edge surface facing in the direction of said normal rotation to abut against said other end of the finger member and stop rotation of the latter iu the opposite direction at said yieldably urged position thereby preventing hunting of the marking wheel during its return to said predetermined position.

4. In a marking device having a rotatable marking wheel for rolling and marking contact with surfaces of successive, spaced apart articles moving past the device;

repositioning means for rotationally returning the mark- I ing wheel to a predetermined position during the interval between the breaking o of contact with a marked article and the effecting of initial contact with the article next in line, said repositioning means comprising a finger member mounted for rotation with the marking wheel, a tension spring, anchor means for one end of said spring mounted on a plate fixed relative to said marking wheel, the other end of said spring being operatively connected to said finger member to yieldably urge the latter to a position corresponding to said predetermined position of the marking wheel, a pivotally mounted rigid latch member, spring means urging said latch member into the orbital path of travel of said finger member,.said latch member having an inclined edge surface over which the end of said finger member glides during normal rotation of the marking wheel in the direction for rolling and marking contact with an article, said latch member further having a radial shoulder at the end of said inclined edge surface facing in the direction of said normal rotation to abut against said end of the finger member and stop rotation of the latter in the opposite direction at said yieldably urged position thereby preventing hunting of the marking wheel during its return to said predetermined position. i

5. In a marking device having a rotatable marking wheel for rolling and marking contact with surfaces of successive, spaced apart articles moving past the device; repositioning means for rotationally returning the marking wheel to a predetermined position during the interval between the breaking off of contact with a marked article and the effecting of initial contact with the article next in line, said repositioning means comprising a finger member mounted for rotation with the marking wheel, a tension spring anchored at one end and connected, at its other end, to one end of said finger member to yieldably urge the latter to a position longitudinally aligned with said spring and corresponding to said predetermined position of the marking wheel, a rigid latch member pivotally mounted on a pin fixed relatively to the marking wheel, a leaf spring mounted on said pin for urging said latch member into the orbital path of travel of the other end of said finger member, said latch member having an inclined edge surface over which said other end of the finger member glides during normal rotation of the marking wheel in the direction for rolling and marking contact with an article, said latch member further having a shoulder adjacent said inclined edge surface facing in the direction of said normal rotation to abut against said other end of the finger member and stop rotation of the latter in the opposite direction at said yieldably urged position thereby preventing hunting of the marking wheel during its return to said predetermined position, and a stop pin in the path of said latch member for limiting the movement of the latter in its yieldably urged direction whereby -to position said shoulder of the latch member in the orbital path of travel of said other end of the finger member.

6. In a marking device having a marking unit frame, a supporting shaft rotatably mounted in said frame, and a marking wheel fixed on said supporting shaft for rotation therewith for rolling and marking contact with surfaces of successive, spaced apart articles moving past said device; repositioning means for rotationally returning the marking wheel to a predetermined position during the interval between the spaced articles, said repositioning means comprising a finger mounted on said supporting shaft for rotation therewith and with said marking Wheel and having an end projecting radially of the marking wheel, a spring operatively connected to said finger and anchored to said frame to yieldably urge the finger to a predetermined position corresponding to a predetermined position of said marking wheel, a latch member pivotally mounted on said frame, resilient means urging said latch member into the orbital path of travel of the free end of said finger, said latch member having an inclined edge surface over which said free end of the finger glides during normal rotation of the marking wheel in the direction for rolling and marking contact with an article, said latch member further having a radial shoulder adjacent said inclined edge surface facing in the direction of said normal rotation to abut against the free end of the finger and stop rotation of the latter in the opposite direction.

No references cited. 

